Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-05-15
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C180S271000, C180S273000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231076
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automobile weight sensor for detecting the presence of a person having a weight in a car seat, and in particular to a sensor that can detect the presence of an occupant using strain sensitive resistors and provide an electrical signal to control activation of an airbag.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices are well known for their ability to measure force, pressure, acceleration, temperature, position, etc. by using a sensing structure combined with signal processing electronics. One general type of sensor or transducer for such applications is a resistive strain gauge sensor in which force or pressure is sensed or measured based on strain placed on the resistors. Resistive strain gauges function by exhibiting changes in resistance proportional to force which causes dimensional changes of the resistor.
Many types of strain gauge sensors have been designed and made commercially available. Various strain gauge sensors have proven to be generally satisfactory. Prior art sensors, however, have tended to be rather expensive and not suitable in certain applications such as sensing the presence of an occupant in an automobile seat. A sensor suitable for such an application must be compact, robust, impervious to shock and vibration and yet inexpensive.
Automobile seats can use sensors to activate air bags, which would be deployed during an accident. Injury to infants or small children from air bag deployment with excessive force is a current industry problem. A weight sensor in the seat can be used to control the deployment force during air bag activation. If a heavy person is in the seat, the airbag is deployed at full force. If a light person is in the seat, such as a child, the airbag is deployed at a slower, less forceful rate or not at all. A current unmet need exists for a reliable, low cost, simple and robust automobile seat weight sensor that is used to control airbag deployment.
3. Related Art
Examples of patents that are related to the present invention are as follows, and each patent is herein incorporated by reference for the supporting teachings:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,269 is a apparatus for sensing and restraining an occupant of a vehicle seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,598 is a porcelain tape for producing porcelainized metal substrates.
The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging the applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the applicants claimed invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a feature of the invention to provide a reliable and cost-effective vehicle seat weight sensor for detecting the weight of a seat occupant. The sensor uses strain gauge resistors.
An additional feature of the invention is to provide a vehicle seat weight sensor for connecting to an external electrical circuit. The sensor includes a substrate that has a center section and a step section attached to the center section. The center section is located adjacent to the step section. An outer section is attached to the step section. One or more strain gage resistors are mounted on the center section of the substrate to generating an electrical signal in response to the substrate being stressed. A seat bracket has a first and second end. The seat bracket is located between a seat pan and an upper slide rail. The substrate is mounted between the first and second ends of the seat bracket such that a portion of the forces applied to the seat pan are transferred from the seat pan to the upper slide rail through the substrate. The outer sections are attached to the first and the second ends of the bracket.
Another feature of the invention is to provide a vehicle seat weight sensor for sensing the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat. The seat has a seat back, a seat bottom attached to a seat pan, a seat bracket having a first end attached to the seat pan, an upper slide rail coupled to a second end of the seat bracket and a lower slide rail coupled to the upper slide rail. The sensor includes a substrate that has a first and second outer section. The first outer section is attached to the first end of the seat bracket and the second outer section is attached to the second end of the seat bracket such that a portion of the forces applied to the seat bottom are transferred from the seat pan to the upper slide rail through the substrate. One or more strain gage resistors are located on the substrate to generate an electrical signal in response to the substrate being stressed. The electrical signal changes magnitude as a function of the weight of the seat occupant. The substrate has a center section that has the stain gage resistor mounted on it. A pair of step sections are attached to the center section. The center section is located between the step sections for concentrating the forces onto the strain gage resistor. The first and second outer sections are attached to the step sections. The substrate has a fastener that is connected between the first end of the seat bracket and the first outer section and a second fastener that is connected between the second end of the seat bracket and the second outer section. The electrical signal is used to control activation of an airbag.
The invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified. Other features of the present invention will become more clear from the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4556598 (1985-12-01), Bloom
patent: 5232243 (1993-08-01), Blackburn et al.
patent: 5573269 (1996-11-01), Gentry
patent: 5959214 (1999-09-01), Vaidyanthan et al.
patent: 5971432 (1999-10-01), Gagnon et al.
patent: 6039344 (2000-03-01), Mehney et al.
patent: 6069325 (2000-05-01), Aoki
patent: 6070115 (2000-05-01), Oestreicher et al.
patent: 6092838 (2000-07-01), Walker
patent: 3-214217 (1991-09-01), None
Blakesley Patrick B.
Osmer William
Wills Michael R.
Borgman Mark W.
Bourgeois Mark P.
CTS Corporation
Dickson Paul N.
LandOfFree
Automobile seat having seat supporting brackets with a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Automobile seat having seat supporting brackets with a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Automobile seat having seat supporting brackets with a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2434931